Dear Editor:
Jersey City public schools have been given a renewed life line with the recent commencement of a national search for school superintendent. The decision in choosing the most viable candidate for the position will be one that will impact our children for years to come. The search should be methodical and as crystal clear as possible. A candidate’s objective must be to provide the best educational initiatives, provide capable educators with the necessary tools, and to have a finger on the school systems financial pulse at all times.
As I sat through last week’s introductory meeting, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if our school system here was so successful and innovative that other districts throughout would embrace our methods and implement them as well. My hope is that as we continue this search process, the board realizes that the stakes are high and the margin for error thin. A successful superintendent will offer an array of fresh ideas and focused on promoting the right type of education. We owe it to the students and their parents in staffing our classrooms with the most highly skilled educators. Paramount to acquiring these capable teachers is to retain them.
The national superintendent search means a direction of leadership and the turning point of how we educate our children. Our children deserve a thorough education in order to be able to compete. The educational landscape needs a massive injection of innovations. We need not look further than Newark and New York City as they implement. The Newark public school system transformed Camden Middle School also known as “the big building” into a home of several public high schools. The Bard High School Early College, offers advanced college courses and instruction for the best, brightest and ambitious students. The students will earn sixty college credits upon graduation. The Newark Bridges High School, offers a second chance of management and support to students who require more attention and help. Both Newark and New York City still have ways to go but are on the right path. The Next Jersey City superintendent should be progress, understands we are competing in a global economy and embraces it with programs that demonstrate that understanding that not all children are the same.
I commend the board on taking the superintendent search on a national level, it is exactly what our Jersey City Public Schools need in order to change the educational landscape, but the hard work is still ahead of us. It demonstrates a bona fide effort in such an important investment. Who wins once this capable candidate is found? Simply stated, we all do!
Amanda Khan
Former Jersey City BOE Candidate